Things Overheard
by Emmy Kay
Summary: Five things Kotetsu never wanted to hear. And one or two he did.


Kotetsu has a habit of walking into conversations that were about him. He never _intends_ it. It just happens. It didn't even have to do with his power. Unless unfortunate timing and awkward run-ins could be considered a superpower.

* * *

"That Kaburagi kid."

Kotetsu stood still, frozen in the hallway at school. He knew they were talking about him. Muramasa was always called by his own name, never "that Kaburagi kid." That title belonged to him, Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, and him alone.

"Freaking me out," the voice continued. Kotetsu didn't know who it was. The speaker was a boy, probably his age. Maybe a little older.

"Yeah. Me, too." This time, it was a girl's voice.

"He sometimes get so mad, and then he turns kinda blue and weird stuff happens. He breaks things."

"He's kind of stupid and clumsy, too."

"What a trouble-maker."

"I hate him."

"Everybody hates him. The freak."

"Shhh." Another voice. "Maybe he's got super hearing, too."

The strict voice of the vice-principal came sweeping down the hall. "If you don't have passes, you need to get back to your rooms!"

Kotetsu sprinted back to his classroom, rubbing his damp face against his shoulders.

* * *

Kotetsu came up the stairs, happy. He had managed to get out of work early, for once. He could help Tomoe with the baby, maybe let her take a nap. She'd been home with Kaede for several weeks now and the stress was beginning to show. He was at the door, hand on the doorknob, when he heard Tomoe's voice. He froze.

"I just don't know," she said, sounding upset. "He's gone a lot. And you know, it's hard meeting people here, especially if you're not working. And there's not a lot of places to take a 2-month old that isn't going to bother anybody."

"No, he can't help." Kotetsu blanched at the thread of anger in Tomoe's voice. He knew exactly who "he" was. She became resigned. "He's working. He has to keep a lot of irregular hours - it's part of his job. I knew moving to Sternbild was going to be like this - it's just the reality that's hard to take. And then leaving my job - "

"Yeah, I know. Money's a little tight - but that's what happens when half of the workforce takes maternity leave. How's everybody at work?" Tomoe's voice lowered into a murmur. This was offset by the Kaede's increasing volume. "I've got to go - baby's fussy. I think she needs something."

Kaede made a mewling cry, and then here was a distinctive semi-liquid flushing sound.

"How did you get poop there?" Tomoe said, startled. "And there! And all the way up there!"

Kotetsu backed away from the door.

"Kaede! Why couldn't you wait? _ Where is your father?!_"

* * *

"Mom? What're you going to do?" Muramasa's voice floated out of the kitchen window, down to the bench by the side of the house where Kotetsu was sitting.

His mother's voice was muted.

"Now that the funeral's over, you want to stay?"

"Here?"

"Yes, Mom." Muramasa sounded irritated. "I mean, do you want to stay here, in Oriental Town, in your house?"

"What about Kaede? I went there to help and I can't just stay here, now, after everything that's happened - "

"Maybe both of them will stay. Kotetsu can get a real job. If not, then Kaede can still stay and he can go back to being hero." Muramasa's tone indicated which of the two options he thought was the correct one. "Look, being here is better for a kid anyway. Safe. She can run around, go to a local school. You can go back to your garden. I'll help out. She'll have company with my kids - she hasn't seen them in years."

Fiercely, their mother said, "I don't know if it's right for a child to leave her only surviving parent."

"Sorry, Mom. But you and Tomoe have both said that Sternbild is no place to raise a kid. That you'd come back here when you could."

Their mother said, "But Kotetsu - what about him?"

"There's nothing to do for him. He just lost Tomoe." Kotetsu could imagine Muramasa's sad face. "But we can do something for Kaede. The sooner you decide, the better it will be for everybody."

Kotetsu felt something, an ache, deep in his chest. He didn't know he could still hurt, not after Tomoe. But the thought of leaving his baby girl behind - it hurt so deep, it tore out what remained of his heart.

Thing was, Muramasa was right. Muramasa had always been right, ever since they were kids. Kotetsu sometimes resented that. But Kotetsu knew it wasn't wrong to not want to let Kaede go. His brain, stunned with Tomoe's death, started to work. He'd just have to find a way to make it sound like it was his idea. This was better than what he was going to do, which was nothing, and having his mother take care of the both of them. This would be just until he knew what he was going to do. He had no idea when that was going to happen. The future without Tomoe lay in front of him, dark and empty.

Kotetsu looked out toward the yard, where Kaede was playing with her cousins. He could imagine his wife sitting next to him. _Tomoe, what would you do?_

No answer came. Kotetsu thought maybe it was because there was no right answer. It was wrong to take Kaede with him, it was wrong to leave her. But he could at least give her some of the things he had been given; a community, a house with a yard, a parent at home.

Tomorrow, Kotetsu decided. Tomorrow he'd say something about work and being too busy to raise a kid by himself and Kaede needing a woman in her life and how Oriental Town was a great place to grow up. Something he always wanted for his kid.

* * *

Kotetsu walked down a hall in the ToPMAG headquarters, passing a half-open door on the way to Ben's office when he heard his name. He didn't recognize the voice.

"Wild Tiger's doing terribly in the rankings."

"Maybe," Ben said. "Still, he'll make it back up there. He always has before."

"I don't think it's enough. It's time to sell the company."

"What are you talking about?"

"Ben, I know I'm just the accountant here, but this is all about the numbers. We can't afford him, or his "crushing" anymore. We've got to let him go."

"It's not just him."

"No," the accountant admitted. "The company made some bad investments, and it's the wrong time for our kind of media. It's time to pay the piper. But Wild Tiger isn't helping."

"I'll find something for him," Ben said, solemn.

"You do that." The accountant was completely skeptical.

Kotetsu didn't know what else to do, so he went to Ben's offce and sat down. He decided he would act like he doesn't know anything, maybe let Ben make the first announcement and help him save some face.

* * *

Kotetsu was outside of the gym, about to enter when he heard:

"A child and a dead wife. Wow. That seems a lot to take on," Ivan said.

"Yeah. Still," said Keith, "He's a good man. He would do the right thing."

"He's got a lot of history, all right. But that's what you get with an older guy." _Thanks, Antonio,_ thought Kotetsu.

A sigh. Karina?

"Don't their knees start to give out?" Pao-lin asked.

"My dad's whole body is giving out," Ivan said. "I think that's what old guys do."

A chuckle. Kotetsu would know that laugh anywhere. Nathan. "There are benefits for picking up an older guy." Awesome, understanding Nathan. "The gratitude, for one."

NATHAN! Evil, cruel Nathan! Betraying him like this!

"There's also the thoughtfulness - they're so careful and sweet. Like everything you do for them is a gift."

Kotetsu stopped in mid-mental tirade. Maybe Nathan was right. Still. He shouldn't be saying it like he, Kotetsu T. Kaburagi, was some kind of desperado. He wasn't! He was a frickin' hero!

Then Nathan's already pleasant voice became absolute liquid sugar, dripping with sweetness. "And the experience - they'll take care of you, honey. Take their time. And do they know what they're doing? Best believe it. Mmm-hmm."

Kotetsu leaned against the wall. Oh, Nathan. _ Thank you._

He was shaken when he heard Bunny's voice. Calm, reflective. Interested, even. "Really?"


End file.
